Jacks add left-handed pitcher

The South Dakota State University baseball team has filled a key role on its pitching staff with the recent signing of junior college standout Chris Anderson to a National Letter of Intent.

“Chris Anderson is a winner who has shown the ability to pitch in big games,” Jackrabbit head coach Dave Schrage said. “We expect Chris to fill a key void after losing our top two starting pitchers from last season.”

A left-hander from Aurora, Ill., Anderson helped lead Waubonsee Community College to a third-place finish in the NJCAA Division III World Series in 2013. Anderson earned all-tournament honors after throwing a 2-0 shutout victory in the opener, retiring 21 consecutive batters in one stretch.

For the season, Anderson posted an 8-4 record with a 2.16 earned run average. He struck out 84 batters and allowed only 69 hits in 87 1/3 innings in earning first-team all-Illinois Skyway Conference honors. Anderson was a second-team all-league honoree as a freshman.

Anderson will join a South Dakota State baseball program that won the Summit League postseason tournament title in 2013 and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament at the NCAA Division I level. The Jackrabbits finished the 2013 season with a 35-24 overall record.